Thanks to all of you, we had a very successful 3rd annual Cool Petaluma Local Resource Expo!
Our community came together, showcasing our wealth of local businesses, nonprofits, and community groups -- all devoted to making Petaluma more resilient and planet friendly.
A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to our generous sponsors who have made this event FREE to you all: City of Petaluma, Local Plumbing, Ongaro and Sons, Recology, SolarCraft, Electrify My Home, HALTER Project, and Northern Pacific Power Systems, and more! Scroll down to learn more about them.
Explore the photo album to see the memorable moments and smiling faces of those who made this event unforgettable. Thank you to all of our attendees and event exhibitors! If you missed the event or want to follow up with any of the exhibitors, scroll down for the full list of participants.
Expo 2024 by the numbers:
461 RSVP'd attendees + walk-ins, including our City Manager and our Mayor, plus 5 City Council members!
55 local resource exhibitors
19 volunteers
16 mini-presentations
2 food vendors
And if you were there and have not yet filled out our survey, please take two minutes to answer these six questions. It helps us maintain funding and improve next year. :)
Plus, check out the graph below to see how mode shift is becoming a reality. We had just over 50% of people arrive by a greener form of transportation!
Who were the exhibitors?
Experts from a wide range of backgrounds will be there to provide information, answer questions, and inspire action in all of our five topic areas:
HALTER Project - Your one-stop place for animal emergency and disaster preparedness resources. They provide free neighborhood workshops, leadership training, and preparedness planning tools for people with pets, equines, and backyard livestock.
WiConduit - A non-profit organization with the mission to bridge the Digital Divide by providing communities with access to fast, affordable, and reliable telecommunications infrastructure and services in underserved communities.
City of Petaluma Emergency Manager - Disaster Preparedness in the context of overall community building.
City of Petaluma Public Works & Utilities - Emergency Preparedness as well as maintenance of City infrastructure and climate protection programs.
Sonoma County Auxiliary Communication Service - Auxiliary communication service for Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management.
Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management - The Department of Emergency Management is responsible for the mitigation, preparedness, planning, coordination of response, and recovery activities related to county emergencies and disasters.
California Sunlight Corporation - Development, manufacture, and supply of portable solar powered lighting, charger, generator, and cooker.
Emergency Prep Help - We prepare seniors for natural disasters and other emergencies by hosting unique two-part workshops at low income senior housing, mobile home parks, senior centers, and other places seniors gather.
Recology Sonoma Marin - We are committed to Waste Zero and prioritize making the highest and best use of all materials. We are doing our part to maximize resource recovery, decrease our greenhouse gas emissions, and support thriving local ecosystems.
Petaluma Farmers Market - Unearth fresh crops, meet new vendors, grab exclusive deals, and savor mouthwatering recipes in their weekly newsletter—your key to taking advantage of local market moments!
350 Petaluma - Reduce consumption and waste, share resources, and advocate for zero waste policies.
Reuse Alliance - Reuse Alliance prevents resources from becoming waste by advocating for, collaborating with, and supporting reuse enterprises that recirculate materials into our communities.
Refill Mercantile - Petaluma's low waste store and refillery providing curated options to ditch single-use plastic!
Salad Master - We teach people how to bring back healthy home cooking, eat more plants, cook in non toxic cookware, keep the nutrients in your food and cook on induction tops. STOP BY FOR DEMOS: How to make a delicious cake with vegetables in a nontoxic healthy cooking system in half the time on induction!
Sonoma Family Meal - We cultivate the community and create opportunities by providing job training, quality emergency meals and support for the local food ecosystem.
NØRSE CØDE & Bygg Foods - We make the world's most sustainable protein powder out of upcycled barley.
Rusty Hinges Ranch - Rusty Hinges Ranch is a regenerative agriculture farm, grocery store and community event space.
FACES (Farm Animals, Climate & Environmental Stewards of Sonoma County) - We seek to build community and take meaningful action around transitioning from modern industrialized animal farming practices back to more humane and sustainable farming practices, for now and future generations.
Electric Vehicle Showcase - Local owners of electric cars, trucks, scooters, and bikes for you to check out! City of Petaluma Public Works and Utilities and the Petaluma Municipal Airport are even bringing an assortment of electric vehicles equipment.
Petaluma Motor Wheel - We are a full service Ebike shop in downtown Petaluma offering sales, service and rental. All the bikes we sell are UL Certified and meet all stringent safety standards. Come test ride!
Petaluma Transit - Provide public transportation within the City limits of Petaluma, fixed-route, paratransit, and soon, microtransit service. Coming Soon-Petaluma Transit will be fare-free starting July 2024.
Safe Streets Petaluma - Advocating safe, healthy, and affordable mobility for all.
Switch Vehicles Inc - At Switch Vehicles, we manufacture a fun, sporty and safe Electric Vehicle created as a “build-it-yourself” kit for education. Founded in 2013, we practice what we teach, with EV Kits that are hand-crafted in our Sebastopol, CA, shop.
City of Petaluma Permit Desk - Are you confused about the permitting process? Wondering what is required for your future greywater system or EV charger? Bring your questions to the Expo!
Ongaro & Sons - Ongaro & Sons is a family-owned business in its fourth generation of operation. Our friendly team offers heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, and solar installation services for the North Bay area.
Electrify My Home - If you're in search of a heat pump, heat pump water heater, electrical upgrade, EV charger, or other electrification service, we're your first and last stop!
Solar Craft - The North Bay’s Leading Solar provider for 40 years, SolarCraft provides Solar and Battery Storage Systems that deliver the highest financial and environmental benefits possible to our clients in Marin, Sonoma and Napa Counties in Northern California.
Local Plumbing - Local Plumbing can help you explore the benefits of using heat pumps for hot water heating and underfloor radiant heating. Their team of experts can help you select the right system for your needs and guide you through the rebate application process.
Northern Pacific Power Systems - Locally owned and operated company specializing in the design, installation, and maintenance of turnkey, grid-connected, solar and battery systems.
John Owens Services - Based in Petaluma, we specialize in energy efficiency and helping people make the switch from natural gas heating and cooling to electric, with a wide range of state-of-the-art solutions.
Clear Blue Commercial - A full-service brokerage, sustainability, property and project management company dedicated to saving the planet through real estate.
Amy’s Roofing and Solar - Roofing, Solar, Batteries and Chargers- Petaluma's resource for Sustainable Roofing.
Harvest - Want to electrify your home smarter? Buildings are 2/3rds of home energy use. By swapping your gas furnace and hot water heater with Harvest, you can have an outsized impact on fighting climate change.
Rebuilding Together Petaluma - Home repairs, accessibility modification, and energy efficiency and electrification upgrades for low-income homeowners.
MAD Architecture - Award winning architecture firm focusing on energy efficient, all electric and net zero homes, non-toxic materials, local sourcing and design solutions that last.
Simply Solar - Simply Solar has spent the last 20 years building up a wealth of industry experience through designing, installing, and maintaining thousands of custom solar systems.
The Switch is On - Providing unbiased information, tools and connections to help residents swap out fossil fuel appliances with clean, efficient, electric alternatives.
The Water Folk - They design and install rainwater harvesting and greywater systems as well as ecological landscaping.
Luma Front Yard Farming - Teach people how to regenerative garden in their own yards. Healthy soil, leads to healthy planet which leads to healthy humans.
Liberty 4-H Beekeepers Project - Teach children how to be beekeepers!
Sonoma County Master Gardeners Garden Sense Program - Offers free visits to home gardens where specially trained Master Gardeners provide information on low-water use plants, lawn conversion, and modern, efficient irrigation techniques. They can even provide you with a sketch of a possible planting layout.
City of Petaluma - The City of Petaluma offers many water conservation programs to help our customers conserve water; including rebates, water evaluations, and free water saving devices.
Daily Acts - Daily Acts is an environmental nonprofit that strives to create equitable, connected, and climate resilient communities. Daily Acts' vision is to create healthy, just and sustainable communities built upon the daily actions of many people.
City of Petaluma Public Works and Utilities (Environmental Services) - Our staff manages programs that are intended to protect the City's waterways and sewer collection system.
ReLeaf Petaluma - Since 2022 we have planted 1,643 trees in Petaluma, 326 of those at our local schools. In January we started implementing the $1 million Petaluma Canopy Grant which will add another 2,325 trees to Petaluma's Urban Forest.
Petaluma Urban Chat - An education and advocacy organization focused on housing to meet community needs, transportation options to reduce car dependency, city finances that are self-sustaining, and climate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate impacts.
Northern California Public Media - PBS Television, NPR Radio, Public Streaming Services
Petaluma City Schools - We are making clear and definitive strides in our work together to meet our goals of environmental literacy and climate action.
Foundation for Climate Restoration - We are committed to making the restoration of the climate the overarching goal of climate action by 2030. Climate restoration means restoring the climate to one that humans have historically thrived in, with CO2 levels below 300 parts per million.
Petaluma Music Festival - This year will be the 16th year of the Festival and to date we have donated close to $500,00 in reaching our goal of "Keeping Music in the Schools!"
Petaluma Senior Advisory Committee - We are the city committee that works toward equity and recognition of seniors in Petaluma. Visit us to learn more about applying for Commissions, Committees, and Boards!
Blue Zones Project - Petaluma - Our work is rooted in lessons learned from the world’s longest-lived cultures. We translated these lessons into environmental changes that strengthen social ties, reshape places, and sharpen policies to support healthy choices.
Aqus Community - Petaluma Conversations - The purpose of Petaluma Conversations is to provide a place where people can connect with and learn about others in our community who are different than we are, building a resilient community that values
understanding and finding ways to bridge social and political divides.Petaluma Blacks for Community Development - We share Black history and culture with the community and support our Black youth.
NEW! Two Live Stages
This year we are added short live presentations so that you could get a quick deep dive into various topics.
Presentation Area 1:
5:15 PM Clear Blue Commercial - “The Greenest Building is One That's Already Built: How Sustainability More Than Pays for Itself” - Using real world examples and data we will show how two local projects have saved more than 30 million gallons of water and over 3.3 million pounds of carbon emissions, all while saving significant money!
5:30 PM Recology Sonoma Marin - "What Goes Where" - Zero Specialist Lisa Moore. Learn more about compost, recycling, and landfill management for your home and business.
5:45 PM Daily Acts - “Creating Ripples: Daily Acts for Climate-Resilient, Water-Wise Communities” - Discover how our programs inspire transformative actions, including strategic partnerships with the city of Petaluma to promote water-wise programs such as the "Mulch Madness" and "Laundry-to-Landscape" rebates.
6:00 PM Harvest - "Heat Batteries for Affordable Electrification" - Harvest will demystify heat pump magic! But what happens when every home goes electric? We'll explore how heat batteries help decarbonize homes affordably while helping keep the lights on.
6:15 PM John Owens Services, Inc. - “We Live in Inefficient Homes” - Owner John Owens will discuss electrification, related to energy inefficiencies and how addressing the entire building envelope (insulation, ducts, windows, etc.) will lower your energy costs, and make your electrification projects more energy efficient.
6:30 PM The Water Folk Landscaping - “Preventing Climate Change through Watershed Restoration” - A condensed explanation of how water conservation and catchment can help prevent climate change, reduce the impacts of fires and floods, and basically save our future.
6:45 PM Neighborhood Auxiliary Communication Service (NACS) - “Emergency Communication Radio Network” - Learn how to create redundancy in communication. Utilizing GMRS/FRS/HAM radio technology, NACS ensures reliable communication when all else fails.
7:00 PM Electrify My Home - “Electrifying Your Home - The RIGHT Way!” - Eliminating gas in favor of efficient electric options (e.g., heat pumps) is one of the best ways to decarbonize. Come learn about some important steps to make your electrification journey successful.
Presentation Area 2:
5:15 PM Custom Costumes Petaluma - “Sound bowl healing” - Come experience the good vibrations of the crystal sound bowls as they harmonize your own energies , releasing tension and calming your nervous system.
5:30 PM Petaluma Transit - "What is new at Petaluma Transit" - Petaluma Transit will give a quick overview of routes and give an update of fare-free service, microtransit, trip-planning tools, and innovative new projects.
5:45 PM Sonoma County Dept of Emergency Management - “What's in your Go Bag?” - Join a discussion of must have items and different choices for go bags.
6:00 PM Safe Streets Petaluma - “3 ways to be Super Cool” - Simple steps toward safe and complete streets for everyone.
6:15 PM Amy’s Roofing and Solar - “Choose to Build Green” - Think outside the box for your home projects. Don't settle for status quo, learn about options for more sustainable building.
6:30 PM Petaluma Music Festival - "Keeping Music in the Schools" - Learn how we've met our goal with the donation of $450,000 from festival proceeds over the past fifteen years to Petaluma public school music programs as we continue efforts to host a Zero Waste event at this year's July 27, 2024 Festival.
6:45 PM SolarCraft - “New World of Solar (+Storage)” - The Financial benefits of going solar have changed over the last year, so that to more fully offset your PG&E bill with solar, you will also be buying a storage battery. Learn about "Bill Saving" vs. "Back-up" batteries.
7:00 PM Blue Zones Project Petaluma - “How can you get involved?” - Learn how to particpate in this community-led wellbeing initiative that addresses three main areas of change People, Places and Policy.
BIG THANKS TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS!
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Event Partner and the Coolest Sponsor
We are committed to achieving greenhouse gas carbon neutrality for the City of Petaluma by 2030. We are proud to be working with our community in acting decisively, joining and inspiring others, and initiating a movement to rehabilitate ecological balance, restore economic stability, and achieve our goal of carbon neutrality in our city.
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Super Duper Cool Sponsor
Ongaro & Sons is a family-owned business in its fourth generation of operation. We consistently deliver the highest level of service and value in our industry, ensuring stability for our valued customers. Our friendly team offers heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, and solar installation services for the North Bay area.
Our 100% guarantee ensures your complete satisfaction. Contact Ongaro & Sons today at 707.908.8025 if you have any questions about our home services and how we can best serve you.
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Super Duper Cool Sponsor
Recology Sonoma Marin is committed to Waste Zero and prioritizes making the highest and best use of all materials. We are doing our part to maximize resource recovery, decrease our greenhouse gas emissions, and support thriving local ecosystems.
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Super Duper Cool Sponsor
At Local Plumbing, we can help you explore the benefits of using heat pumps for hot water heating and underfloor radiant heating. Our team of experts can help you select the right system for your needs and guide you through the rebate application process to ensure that you receive all the available incentives.
Overall, heat pumps are an excellent option for homeowners looking to reduce their energy bills and environmental impact.
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Super Duper Cool Sponsor
The North Bay’s Leading Solar provider for 40 years, SolarCraft provides Solar and Battery Storage Systems that deliver the highest financial and environmental benefits possible to our clients in Marin, Sonoma and Napa Counties in Northern California.
SolarCraft is proud to be 100% Employee-Owned, ensuring that customers can expect excellent products and service from people who are fully vested in our company, our clients, our partners and our community in the North Bay.
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Super Duper Cool Sponsor
We are experts in home electrification - our name says it all! If you're in search of a heat pump, heat pump water heater, electrical upgrade, EV charger, or other electrification service, we're your first and last stop! With an eye on quality installation and maximum efficiency, we ensure your investment will pay dividends for years to come.
When we're not electrifying homes, we're busy conducting workforce trainings for contractors around the state. We are a trainer for PG&E, SMUD, SoCal Edison, TECH Clean Ca, and others.
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Super Duper Cool Sponsor
HALTER Project is your one-stop place for Animal Emergency and Disaster Preoaredness resources. We provide free neighborhood workshops, community organizations, senior residential facilities and youth groups, Leadership Training, and preparedness planning tools for people with pets, equines, and backyard livestock.
Our website is a nationally-recognized resource for anyone who wants help learning how to keep animals and their humans safe and together in times of crisis.
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Very Cool Sponsor
We are an owner operated company providing high quality energy solutions to the North Bay Area. In addition to numerous energy efficient home improvements, we specialize in the design, installation, and maintenance of turnkey, grid-connected, solar PV power systems.
At every juncture of going solar, we offer our clients personalized service that focuses on their unique needs. We are working to enable customers to transition their home to fully electric and powered by solar.
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Cool Sponsor
A full-service brokerage, sustainability, property and project management company dedicated to saving the planet through real estate.
A Community Philanthropy and Outstanding Facility Management Award Winner, voted Best Green Business in 2016, Clear Blue Commercial's efforts saved over three million gallons of water annually during the recent drought, successfully saved our clients hundreds of thousands of dollars in green upgrades and energy savings, and added significant value to our clients' properties.
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Cool Sponsor
Based in Petaluma, John Owens Services, Inc. specializes in energy efficiency. We help homeowners in Sonoma and Marin counties make the switch from natural gas heating and cooling to electric, with a wide range of state-of-the-art solutions. We also offer a variety of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) products, as well as full-service plumbing, drain cleaning, leak detection and radiant heating & boiler repair and replacement. Since 1986, our local company has helped thousands of homeowners achieve a more functional, reliable, and comfortable home.
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Cool Sponsor
SCP serves the residents and businesses in Sonoma and Mendocino counties clean energy from more renewable resources, such as geothermal, wind, and solar.
Powered by innovative thinking, SCP was formed to provide a choice beyond the for-profit, investor-owned utility (PG&E) and a customer-owned public utility. Today, SCP is a model for community choice programs throughout California. By providing higher percentages of renewable energy that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, our customers are helping to solve the climate crisis at the local level.
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Cool Sponsor
Simply Solar has spent the last 20 years building up a wealth of industry experience through designing, installing, and maintaining thousands of custom solar systems. We have tirelessly served the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond as an industry-leading solar provider, with a keen eye for technology and a core focus on customer satisfaction.
While other companies typically hire out contractors to complete their installations, we perform custom installations using our own in-house technicians, designed in partnership with our customers to ensure they get the most value possible from their investment.
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Cool Sponsor
We are a full service Ebike shop in downtown Petaluma offering sales, service and rental. All the bikes we sell are UL Certified and meet all stringent safety standards. Come test ride!